23 October,2026 01:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of insecurity and creating a virtual "Police Raj" in the country, criticising the arrest and seven-day detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka over their protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
In an editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana on Friday, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party questioned whether the government was afraid of peaceful democratic protests and young citizens carrying the National Flag. It alleged that restrictions on protest venues in cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Patna, Lucknow and Kolkata were limiting the right to dissent.
Das and Ranka were detained after entering the Jantar Mantar area, which had been denotified as an authorised protest site. They were sent to judicial custody for five days on October 14, and their custody was extended by two days on October 19. A Special Executive Magistrate ordered their release on October 21 after accepting their sureties.
The editorial criticised the authorities for restricting access to Jantar Mantar, where the activists had sought to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.
"The children did not go to Jantar Mantar to play 'Dandiya'; they went to raise their voice against corrupt electoral practices. If the government were truly generous and democratic, would it lock down Jantar Mantar? Asking protesters to seek government permission before rallying against state injustice is absurd -- would a despotic regime ever grant permission for a protest against itself?" the editorial said.
The party alleged that the government was using police action and restrictions to discourage criticism. It argued that public spaces for demonstrations were an essential part of democratic participation and questioned the rationale for requiring prior permission to protest against the government.
The Saamana editorial contrasted the detention of the CJP activists with what it described as leniency towards people convicted of serious crimes. It cited the case of former politician Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted in a rape case, while criticising the handling of young protesters carrying the Tricolour.
The editorial also referred to public figures, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, opposition MPs and economist Parakala Prabhakar, who have participated in protests. It questioned whether such people could also be categorised as troublemakers simply for taking to the streets.
The party alleged that the authorities were selectively invoking law-and-order concerns to restrict demonstrations, while failing to address what it described as the causes of public discontent.
The editorial criticised the use of police personnel and barricades to control demonstrations, arguing that political leaders in the past had directly faced protesters rather than relying on security arrangements and legal restrictions.
It also questioned the judiciary's reported remarks to young protesters about student unrest in countries such as France and Albania, arguing that attention should be directed towards the reasons behind protests rather than the demonstrations themselves.
The party maintained that peaceful dissent should not be treated as a threat to public order merely because it challenges those in power.
The editorial argued that the government's approach reflected an unwillingness to face questions or accept demands for accountability. It accused the BJP-led administration of using state machinery to discourage protests and criticism.
